Gemma Bovery

Gemma Bovery (2014) is a French-British comedy-drama directed by Anne Fontaine, starring Gemma Arterton and Fabrice Luchini — watch it online on iFILM. Martin gave up Paris and a life of cultured pretensions to run a bakery in a quiet Norman village. The one thing he kept was his fixation on Flaubert. Then an English couple moves into the neighbouring farmhouse: her name is Gemma Bovery, his is Charles.

Martin becomes convinced he is watching Madame Bovary play out in real life, complete with a restless wife, a dull husband, and a countryside that offers nothing but too much time to think. He starts quietly steering events, certain he can prevent a tragedy that Gemma has no idea is coming — partly because she has never read the book. Adapted from Posy Simmonds' graphic novel, the film is sharp enough to work as both a gentle rural comedy and a wry study of what happens when someone loves a story more than the actual person in front of them. Luchini's performance carries the whole thing. Stream Gemma Bovery (2014) online on iFILM.